Evernote 8.0, just released for all iOS devices, declutters the app's interface and makes it easier to create different types of notes, among other enhancements. But the app's stylus support still leaves something to be desired. Evernote’s iOS app just received a much-needed interface makeover. It’slighter, easier to navigate, and faster in creating notes, whether they’re audio, photos, reminders, or text. You’ll notice Evernote 8.0’s improvements on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Some of the new features/refinements are already in the Evernote Android app or will be coming soon, a company representative told me. Here are five enhancements you’ll likely appreciate — plus one feature I’m still hoping Evernote will add. Evernote How Evernote on iPad used to look. 1. Less clutter When you open Evernote for iOS, the home screen displays all your notes in a list, with the most recent first. The note previews are larger than before, so you can get a better sense of each note’s contents right away. The net effect is that the home screen feels less cluttered, more modern. You can change the note list’s settings, choosing between small, medium, or large previews; turning off images or body text in previews; and organizing how notes in the list are sorted (by date updated, date created, or note title). 2. It’s easy to create different types of notes Evernote has improved navigation, making it easy to create notes quickly. You can create new text notes by single-tapping the green ‘+’ button. Or, press and hold the button, or press and drag up, to quickly capture an audio note, a photo, or a new reminder. 3. It’s easy to filter notes You can now filter notes in your list by tags, by tapping the tags icon, or by reminders, by tapping the reminder icon. Both icons live to the right of the search bar. 4. Switching between accounts Have separate personal and business Evernote accounts? The app now lets you access both accounts and move notes from one to another. 5. Swipe left on notes Another new feature I like: You can swipe left on a note to create a shortcut to it; set a reminder; or trash it. Still waiting for freehand drawing I love the freedom to use an Apple Pencil or other stylus to freely annotate or highlight text in Microsoft OneNote, Evernote’s chief competitor. Alas, Evernote’s support for stylus input remains constrained and awkward. For example, with Evernote on iOS, you can’t simply drag your stylus across text to highlight it, as you can with OneNote. An Evernote executive I talked to noted my suggestion for easier stylus input. He added that that this release, version 8.0, is just “the initial starting point” for further refinements. Evernote vs. OneNote OneNote is a serious competitor to Evernote, especially if you’re entrenched in Office apps and want to make full use of your stylus. And Evernote has angered some loyal users in the past year or so, putting previously free features behind a paywall. The company further inflamed users with an ill-advised, since-reversed privacy policy update. That last faux pas put the company on NetworkWorld’s list of the ‘sorriest technology companies of 2016.’ But I continue to use Evernote as my web clipping tool of choice, as no other app I’ve tested does as good a job of helping you build a database of articles for future reference. And with version 8.0, Evernote has largely resolved one of the app’s biggest problems: its cluttered interface. Related content opinion 3 top travel apps worth revisiting TripAdvisor, Kayak, and TripIt have been around for years. But they keep getting more powerful and more useful with new features. By James A. Martin May 09, 2017 4 mins Mobile Apps Consumer Electronics opinion Amazon Echo Dot gets more portable and better sound from Vaux A new speaker/dock called Vaux gives Echo Dot two things Amazon left out. But does that make Echo Dot and Vaux a better buy than Amazon Tap? By James A. Martin Apr 29, 2017 2 mins Amazon.com Gadgets Mobile Apps opinion Who's smartest — Alexa, Siri, Cortana, or Google Assistant? You won't be shocked to learn that Apple's Siri virtual assistant has the best sense of humor. But you might be surprised to learn which virtual assistant is the smartestu2014and which one is no. 2 with a bullet. By James A. Martin Apr 27, 2017 4 mins Gadgets Mobile Apps Artificial Intelligence opinion Does the world need a Windows smartwatch? The answer is, 'yes,' if you like the idea of a commercial-grade wearable for retail, hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing. But the track record of squeezing Windows into a small device isn't good. By James A. Martin Apr 26, 2017 4 mins Wearables Mobile Apps Consumer Electronics Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe